


Such A Fool

by alwaysmrreese



Category: Now You See Me (Movies)
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Gen, Hypnotism, Night Terrors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-11
Updated: 2016-11-11
Packaged: 2018-08-30 10:08:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8528980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alwaysmrreese/pseuds/alwaysmrreese
Summary: Daniel always blames himself for what happened in Macau. The fellow Horsemen never said anything to him, and it drives him crazy. And he just couldn't take it anymore.





	

Daniel is an arrogant prick, and he knows it. So arrogant, to the point where he wouldn't tell anybody, even the Horsemen he trusts, about the night terrors that keep him up at night, moaning and wailing like he was 6 years old again. Being a magician is supposed to be easy. You always have tricks up your sleeves and steps ahead of everyone. But back in Macau. God. He felt belittled, shadowed, and ashamed of himself everytime he remembers that distinctive event, or to say, his mind forces him to. Nights he would relive those moments, said those words that he regrets tremendously, and at the end of every dream, it would result in death. Dylan. Jack. Lula. Meritt. Him. Either anyone or everyone, and it shattered him. Their looks of anger as they blame him for what happened, though fabricated, still etched in his mind. So that's why, during the Horsemen's meetings, he would wait for any of them to point their fingers toward him and do the blaming. They never did. It makes him even more anxious, because he just wants it to be over with, so that his brain doesn't have to do the accusing for them anymore. He wants to shout, to throw tantrum, to yell at them, to stop torturing him. But he hides these emotions under the snarky, sarcastic, self-centered comments that inflate his arrogant, control freak image very well. They are the great walls that protect him from ever breaking. But nothing is built to last.

One day, the fellows were joking around, and somehow, the topic of Macau is brought back up. And he just…broke. There were no shouting, but rather, a deadly silence that he longfully hated. His breathing quickened, making him feel like about throw up. So Danny left the room as fast as he can, because he didn't want any of them to see his weak side.

When Danny finally got back to his room, he slumped to the floor, with his back agaisnt the wall. It was just too much. He knew they didn't mean it, that they were just trying to lighten up the whole deal. But Danny was waiting for them to say it, for so long, that when they actually did, he finally succumbed to the dredging feeling that had been keeping him off the edge.

Then suddenly, he hears a doorknock.

“Hey Buffy, you in for having a little chat with this old man?” It was Meritt.

Daniel didn't want to answer, because he was clearly having a panic attack and any voicings would show it. But he knew, Meritt would come in anyway, so he just waited. And Meritt did.

“Little Buff, why are you hiding in your small cave?” And as he opened the door, his steps stopped when he saw the current state Danny was in. His smile turned into a straight line.

“Daniel.”

Danny didn't look up, but rather held a shaky breath, and Meritt could clearly see it. He moved closer to where Danny's sitting, and kneeled down before him. But no comfort words that he was expecting.

Suddenly, he felt Meritt's hand, warm and stern, gripping his neck, but to no point of pain. He was a tad surprised at first, but then, Meritt's next few words gave him the answer.

“Daniel, focus on my voice.”

Hypnosis? Really? Danny thought Meritt would have know better that being a fellow magician, it’d be hard for him to fall for it.

“You will listen carefully to my words, and you will continue to follow it exactly as I say.”

Although he was quite against it, hypnotherapy could actually be the thing that he needed. Having a second thought, he let his mind relax and proceed to dim himself into Meritt's words.

“Whenever Macau is mentioned, you will begin to slip into a comfort state, whereas your breathing will remain calm, deep, and block away the attacks. You will also remember, everytime, that you are not to blame for what happened, and you did the best you could do for your family.”

 

He wanted to. So bad.

 

“Now, on the snap of my fingers, you will wake up.” When he heard the cue, his eyes slowly opened, and he feel dazed. Not in a confused way, but rather relieved. He knew that it wouldn’t affect him as much as the others, but he didn't resist it, so it still affected him, somewhat.

“Kiddo, I ain't good at soothing people and all, even though I can read them well, so this is the only thing I can try my best and do for you. I know you won't take it easy, but it's gonna get you, I guess.” – Meritt proceed to say, while adverting Danny's eyes to meet his. Seeing Danny's expression, his words were confirmed.

“We've been together for longer than we possibly could, and it has its own reason. We understand each other, thoroughly , not just our shown personality. You are a control freak, obsessive, and never fully trust someone, but we never doubted you of ill intent. We know you wanted us to have a good escape, it just happened to come out bad. So don't make it too harsh on yourself, Danny.”

And they were exactly the words Danny needed to hear. Not wanted, but needed. He had always respected Meritt - minus some occasion, and now, even more. Before he could utter out a single world, Meritt had already stood up and leave the room.

“It's not that I hope you'd get into this messy situation again, but, next time, you know which room to run to. And it's not yours.”

“Jack's? I heard his skills are upgraded tremendously.” – Only then did he managed to shoot back a line at Meritt.

“Ha. Don't make me have to charge you by the hour, Buffy.” “Knowing you, you'd have already charged this one.” – And with that, Meritt cracked a big smile, making Danny gently smiled, also.

“Get some rest, Danny. Don't forget what I said.”

“Thank you, Meritt.”

He closed the door right before Danny could finish the sentence, but no doubt he had heard it. After the event, his night terrors still rages on, but it has decreased compared to before. He’s still afraid of anything that relates to Macau, but not his Horsemen. He understands Meritt's words now, that being a family, you fight, you experience hardships, you bleed, but never turn away from one another. He was such a fool for ever thinking that they would.

**Author's Note:**

> Welp, this is my first ever finished/posted fanfic here, so I hope you guys won't take it too harsh and enjoy it throught out.  
> The promt was given by an anon, so here you go, whoever you are, and I apologize for making you wait :'(  
> (Also, my expertise in hypnotherapy/hypnotism is shallow, therefore, I will accept the flaws that any of you would point out.)


End file.
